By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has warned against any attempt to forcefully appoint Ms Lauretta Onochie as an acting commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This week, the Senate, after several calls, including from the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rejected the nomination of Ms Onochie as an INEC Commissioner.
She was nominated for the position by President Muhammadu Buhari, but there was opposition to this development as she was accused of being a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
During her screening at the Senate, Ms Onochie, who worked as a social media aide to Mr Buhari, claimed she stopped being a member of the APC from 2019.
At the plenary on Tuesday, the upper chamber of the National Assembly said it was rejecting the nomination of Ms Onochie because of the principle of federal character. It was noted that someone from her state, Delta State, was already occupying a position in the commission.
The CNPP, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by its Secretary-General, Mr Willy Ezugwu, commended the Senate for the rejection, saying it listened to “the voice of reason” and proved that it was not a “rubber stamp” parliament as it is being insinuated.
“It pays for all elected public officers to listen to the people from whom they derive their powers and are holding offices in trust for their well-being, with a view to improving on the rapidly eroding public confidence in our political office holders,” the group stated.
“While we commend the Senators for not allowing the controversial nomination Onochie to sail through, we warn of a repeat of the Ibrahim Magu template where the executive unilaterally imposed him on the country in perpetual acting capacity as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the wish of the people.
“We all know how Magu’s tenure as EFCC’s Acting Chairman ended, proving that corruption allegation against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) leading to his rejection by the 8th Senate was correct.
“And just as a once corrupt person will always be corrupt, a partisan player like Lauretta Onochie would have remained partisan even as INEC commissioner.
“It will be disastrous for our already struggling democracy if the executive is allowed to appoint a fanatically partisan character like Lauretta Onochie through the backdoor, using the Magu template,” it warned.
“The CNPP hereby advises the Presidency to shelve all overbearing attitude it has continued to subtly exhibit on the federal lawmakers in the remaining less than two years of the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“All federal lawmakers, Mr President, and presidential aides should focus more on life after office rather than generating controversies through an unending opposition to the welfare of the citizens manifesting in numerous ill-conceived policies and executive bills meant to gag the people and the media,” the CNPP stated.
